Knee surgery recovery boosted by simple injection, study finds

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: Age 18-65 years at time of enrollment * Scheduled for knee arthroscopy for treatment of medial meniscus injury * Torn medial meniscus with various morphology confirmed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) * Positive clinical examination findings specific for medial meniscus tear OR mechanical symptoms (locking, catching) * Failed conservative treatment for at least 3 months including physical therapy and/or anti-inflammatory medications * Grade 0 or Grade 1 osteoarthritis according to Kellgren-Lawrence radiographic classification scale at baseline visit * Able and willing to provide written informed consent * Able to comply with study procedures and attend all follow-up visits * Willing to adhere to postoperative rehabilitation protocol Exclusion Criteria: * Prior surgery on the ipsilateral knee (except previous knee arthroscopy for partial meniscectomy and/or chondroplasty) * Prior surgery on the contralateral knee (except previous knee arthroscopy for partial meniscectomy and/or chondroplasty) * Intraoperative diagnosis of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury requiring reconstruction * History of concomitant knee procedures including: ligamentous repair or reconstruction, high tibial osteotomy, distal femoral osteotomy, hardware removal, irrigation and debridement for infection, microfracture procedures, autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI), osteochondral autograft transfer (OATS), or osteochondral allograft transfer * Axial knee deformity (varus or valgus malalignment) * Radiological signs of knee osteoarthritis Grade 2 or higher on Kellgren-Lawrence scale * Inflammatory arthritis (rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, etc.) * History of septic arthritis in either knee * Known hypersensitivity or allergy to hyaluronic acid products, chondroitin sulfate, or any study product components * Active infection or skin disease at the injection site * Bleeding disorders or current anticoagulation therapy that cannot be safely interrupted * Pregnancy or lactation - Current participation in another interventional clinical trial * Any condition that, in the opinion of the investigator, would compromise the participant's ability to participate in the study or potentially confound study results